By Nadia Ellis | M•I•A MEDIA GROUP
Nov. 5, 2026
Heavy rainfall has left parts of South Florida dealing with flooded roads and disrupted routines, with six Palm Beach County schools remaining closed Thursday as officials assess conditions.
The closures show how the consequences of severe weather can persist beyond the heaviest rain, forcing families to rearrange transportation, child care and work schedules while communities wait for conditions to improve.
The affected campuses are Egret Lake, Grassy Waters, Sandpiper Shores and Washington elementary schools; Jeaga Middle School; and West Boca Raton Community High School. Classes, campus activities and aftercare programs at those schools were canceled for Nov. 5, according to the district announcement reported by CBS12.
Flooding also affected schools and businesses in Broward County on Wednesday, Local 10 reported, after heavy rain and lightning moved through the region Tuesday evening. Streets remained covered with water in some areas, complicating travel.
For working households, a school closure can quickly become an economic problem. Parents may need to request time away from work, arrange alternate supervision or depend on relatives. Small-business owners face a similar challenge when employees and customers cannot safely reach their destinations.
Those pressures make reliable, location-specific information essential. A road that appears passable in one neighborhood offers little assurance about conditions several blocks away. Families should check school district announcements and local road updates before leaving home.
The danger extends beyond inconvenience. WSVN reported Wednesday that flooding across Central and South Florida had left at least two people dead and required more than 100 rescues. In Port St. Lucie, a bus driver and passengers needed rescue after the vehicle entered a canal.
Flooded Roads Require Caution
The National Weather Service warns motorists against driving through flooded roads or around barricades. Water can conceal damaged pavement, and its depth and movement can be difficult to judge from inside a vehicle.
Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, according to the agency. Its guidance is direct: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
Floodwater also presents health hazards. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises avoiding contact because it may contain sewage, chemicals, sharp debris and other contaminants. Children should be kept out of flooded areas, even when standing water appears calm.
CBS Miami’s Wednesday-night forecast anticipated drier conditions later in the week. Improving weather, however, does not establish that every flooded road or campus is safe to reopen.
Palm Beach County officials had not announced a reopening date for the six affected schools in the Wednesday-evening update. Families should confirm subsequent district notices rather than assume Thursday’s closures will end automatically.
For South Florida residents, recovery begins with practical decisions: choosing a safe route, checking on a neighbor, arranging care for a child and resisting the temptation to drive through unfamiliar water.
The rain may ease before those responsibilities do.